azuki on departure
by So Guhn
Summary: There comes a time in a girl's life when she starts to grow up. Xing Ke and Tian Zi visit the Black Knights for New Year's. Kaguya questions Zero's background, and Kallen isn't too bright about the punch.


_azuki on departure_ **; PG - gen/humour - impl. Xing Ke/Tian Zi, Suzaku + Lelouch + Nunnally + Kaguya**

It was New Year's Day, and while snow still ushered about on the edges of rooftops in some areas, and completely covered it in others, on their island, their haven- it was a only a small frost in the morning. Though it was not their New Year, Tian Zi decided that upon Kaguya's invitation she would visit the Black Knights and celebrate with them at their party. Xing Ke had agreed that she should go (as Kaguya was Tian Zi's friend!) on the conditions that he bring a small (read platoon) group of guards to go with her, he himself included. He left the affairs for the time being to Xianglin who saw them off with a wave and not very much of a smile (often he didn't think her face was capable of it unless the occasion called that she was cutting down a foe.)

They made it in the early evening, food was every where, music was every where, and the laughter was contagious. The whole island was celebrating and made no secret of it, they even managed to catch some of the guards he had brought and convinced them into partying with them (and Xing Ke would have to talk to them _later_) but even with formation broken Tian Zi seemed to be in no immediate danger, after all it had been the Black Knights who had helped saved her (albeit they had kidnapped her to begin with), he could trust them. A bit. Kaguya fell into a fit of delight at the sight of Tian Zi (the both of them, probably the fact they were together) and ushered them into the main room where ornaments of all sorts hung, a mix of Japanese and some very Britannian (Xing Ke was a little surprised at that though he was not ignorant that the Black Knights did not only consist of Japanese) signs and styles of celebration. The punch bowl was certainly not Japanese.

Kaguya seated Tian Zi next to her and Xing Ke stood stiffly to the side, milling of talking chattering people about, some looking over at them, a few of the Black Knights recognizable- such as the Guren pilot who was at mentioned punch bowl filling two cups. He watched her for a little time (while keeping an eye on Tian Zi, who seemed to blink and stutter and blush at every babbling word, sentence, phrase that seemed to explode from Kaguya's mouth)- to follow her course of action to a familiar black figure who of course refused the cup, and Kallen as if she had not realized earlier that Zero was not exactly in the position to drink, hunched her shoulders and looked positively embarrassed. Xing Ke coughed out an almost laugh, Zero spotted him looking and made his way over.

They shared their greetings, slight animosities, made up for the sake of peace (Tian Zi's happiness) and resolved to talk no longer through the rest of the party- when near eleven pm, Xing Ke started to notice Tian Zi's acute shifting and discomfort where she was sitting. He bent down to ask "What's wrong?"

Tian Zi shook her head, and Kaguya glanced over to her (having turned to Zero a few minutes ago who had found himself caroused to sit by her, and take the few drunken congratulations he had on his getting a wife and so forth, it being very hard to determine his mood when you could not see his expression-) Xing Ke continued, frowning, "If the seat uncomfortable, would you like to sit some where else?"

Tian Zi let out a loud abrupt no, that many turned to, Kaguya placed her hand on Tian Zi's shoulder, "What's wrong?" and seeing her friend on the verge of tears, kindly, (quietly) said, "...you can whisper it in my ear if you would like."

Tian Zi cupped her small hands around Kaguya's left ear, and did.

Kaguya's mouth shaped a small 'o', as the sound followed suit, she rose and ushered for Tian Zi to do the same, pulling at the arm of Kallen who had been angrily arguing (in a whisper) with Zero about something Kaguya was not aware of, Kaguya whispering to Kallen about the situation and for her help, Kallen pulled through and sharply turning to look at Zero as if to tell him not to look. Zero turned away. Kaguya pulled out a handkerchief and laid it where Tian Zi was sitting, steeping before Xing Ke and blocking his view of Tian Zi, said (face smiling coyly at his look of rising apprehension) very very quietly just for him to hear- "Tian Zi has become a woman today, if you'll excuse us."

And in a three way shuffle Kallen in front, Kaguya behind Tian Zi they led her to the back where a more private bathroom would be where they could tell her she wasn't in any danger and this was normal!

--

When Tian Zi came out she was wearing borrowed (Japanese, he was almost appalled) clothes of Kaguya's.  
Kaguya beamed and Kallen looked on somewhat kindly, Kaguya clapped and announced, "I'll go make  
some steam red bean rice," Tian Zi gave a few wobbly steps and leaned on Kaguya's arm, almost speaking  
quietly but it came out excited, "I love red bean."

Kaguya nodded her approval and gave a start when she saw the table cleared and rice already made, "Who?" she started to ask, looking around at the female members of the Black Knights, only to see C.C. stifling a laugh, and Tamaki's brow lift, Ohgi gave a small cough into his fist, Diethard looked on in confusion and answered hers- "Zero brought this out." It must have been a sight to see, their leader bring out a steamer, and piled bowls, chopsticks untidily piled to the side on a tray

Kallen looked over at Kaguya in question and the younger only clapped her hands in new found delight, "Well, let's eat then- you first Tian Zi." She scoops the first bowl and hands it Tian Zi whose face is flushed in happiness.

When everyone (least near very one, there wasn't exactly enough bowls or enough rice), and they had settled down to eating- Tian Zi positively jubilant that the rice was made for her, by her friends! In a way, she thought Kaguya's husband was still kind of scary but he had saved her and Xing Ke! Once and and had made her rice! Her cheeks puffed full of it and Xing Ke didn't have the heart to tell her that wasn't exactly befitting etiquette of an Empress. Kaguya turned to Zero who had decidedly returned (From where? C.C. was eating a bowl with them...) and was sitting comfortably at the edge of a couch close by, she turned to rise to her feet.

"I'm surprised."

He seems to look up at her, "At what?" he asks, Kaguya smiles.

"Do you have a sister?" Kaguya thinks maybe that was not the best question, after all she had heard from Kirihara that Zero was indeed not Japanese, so why- "Have you made this before? The rice..."

He's laughing at her and while she is not sure why she takes no offense. "I have."

When Kaguya has thought he would say no more, he does, "Have you?"

She almost shrugs, but folds her arm, and charmingly replies, "I have, but it was kind of embarrassing since I hadn't eaten mine yet, and it was for a young girl who wasn't even older than me-" and under her breath, a little pouting and mischievous, and there is no malice, only the sound of what yesterday was like, grumbling, "-she wasn't even Japanese to boot, that girl."

Kaguya will never know Zero is smiling under the mask, because-

--

-it's a hot summer's day.

Evening falls, and night is almost upon them.

Nunnally tugs at his sleeve, brow crunched, her mouth frowning, he looks with worry, "What is it?" and crouching down, taking her hand in his, "Are you feeling alright?"

He was just about to ready her for bed, then himself- unfolding her night clothes when she had- "I feel... weird."

"Weird?" Lelouch looks her over as if it will give reasoning to her being so, saying so. She nods, "Also it's somewhat... sticky."

"Sticky?" he echoes, she tries to shift in her seat, and looks more confused than embarrassed, he decides to place her on the bed first, and arms behind her thighs, her arms bout him, he transfers her to the bed, only to pull away and find places on his hand and arm smeared with something wet. He looks and sees red, and then her chair- he swallows back his scream of alarm, Nunnally sensing his distress almost feels her own rise, "Onii-sama?"

Lelouch puts his hands at her shoulders, but pulls the stained hand away, sharply, "It- it's going to be okay Nunnally! Ju-Just, uhm, I'll go get someone, but- you'll be-" he doesn't' want to leave her, why, why was she? (He's just a young boy and boys don't know don't know at all) panic is driving up the wall of his chest, and just when he comes to the decision that if he doesn't make one quick-

"Lelouch--?!" Suzaku comes in lloking for him, feet heavy even when he's not wearing shoes. Lelouch rushes over to him positively the picture of anxiety, "Suzaku!"

The young boy drags the other boy out, and cracks the door, fiercely whispering for Suzaku to go get help, Nunnally is bleeding, he doesn't know what to do because she's bleeding, she's bleeding in a place that- and that Suzaku needs to hurry, go! By all this is said, Lelouch as worked his hands about Suzaku's shoulders and is gripping tightly, the other doing the same only loosely, Suzaku can only nod, only Lelouch ever becomes this way for one person and he never likes to see it. Suzaku runs quickly back to the shrine.

No one is home, it's late, there are meetings, talk of invaders.

"Someone!" he starts, and decides he should contact a hospital, but would they? Would they help Brit-

A cool annoyed voice responds, "What are you yelling about?"

His cousin, Kaguya slides open a side door, frowning, "It's almost bed-"

He cuts her off, fists tightly shut, "Nunna- my friend, she- she's bleeding!"

"Oh?" Kaguya cocks a brow, "Why don't you bandage it up then?

Suzaku shakes his head, words coming out as if through a fluster of feathers, Kaguya's haughty annoyance has turned to a curious almost genuine concern, Suzaku's concern- "It's not," and he stutters it, cheeks a bit red, "-a place you'd normal bandage up."

Kaguya's brow lifts entirely, hands clasping "Oh!" and knowing exactly what he is talking about, "Wait here! I know what to do!"

And before he could ask what? She back out, the door in an attempt to be closed quickly, does not close all the way, and she's running, dragging him by the wrist along, up a ways, she knows where he goes, and he's too amazed that she has an air of _what to do_ to question why she knows (where he goes), she barges into the run down shack as if it were her own (the same as he had those months ago-) and Lelouch gives such a great start- "There's a sink around here right?" Kaguya asks and after spotting it, hurriedly pushes them both out on the porch where they sit.

The door slams behind them.

And they sit.

Sit.

Girlish voices coming from behind the door, Suzaku's too shocked that Kaguya has the capability to speak _that_ kindly, and Lelouch wrings his hands in worry. It's some time before she opens the door and lets them in. They find Nunnally clean in her nightclothes, the blood cleaned from the chair, and the dirtied clothes and bed sheets piled to the side.

"There," Kaguya, hands at her hips, "she'll be alright."

While they still looking on in confusion, she shakes her head, "It's a girl thing you know! It's normal! She'll be fine, this happens nearly every month-"

Suzaku holds Lelouch up whom after clasping hands with Nunnally, stroking at her hair and murmuring his relief that she is fine and well and- he's stuttering, "E-every month?"

Kaguya nods, "Yes, that's how it works." And as if after thought has taken hold of her, she smiles, and pulling Lelouch with her, calls to Suzaku and Nunnally- "You two wait here!"

She has far too much strength for a girl her age (is what Lelouch is thinking, not thinking he doesn't have very much strength for a _boy_) she pulls him all the long way to the shrine, his steps following in tune with hers, when she tries to drag him in, only then he refuses, "What- I'm not supposed to even be-"

"It's okay!" she says, gritting her teeth as she pulls him through another side way, to the kitchen, "You won't get caught if we do it quietly," he shakes his head _no_ at the very idea, "Why do I even have to be here, why didn't you take Suzaku he's allowed-" and Kaguya with pouting lips, tells him, "Suzaku? He's not even allowed in the kitchen, the last time I tried to let him help do you know what happened? No you don't, you don't _want_ to know-" and she blathered on like this for another five or so minutes, before she realised he was in, and she didn't need to pull his wrist any more.

"Now," she opens a cabinet, and pulls out a bamboo steamer, setting it over a wok but not using it, not yet, Lelouch looks on questioning before she ushers him to find the _azuki_, he asks her what they're making.

"The _sekihan_ of course!" she says, and Lelouch thinks she seems a little adult the way she goes about cooking.

--

When all was done and they had returned, rice distributed, sitting about a rickety table that was too high for Kaguya's tastes-

"This?" Nunnally says, not exactly trusting herself to hold the bowl (her hands move over the top, steam rises) Kaguya puffs out her chest proudly; Suzaku shoots her a weird look, as if he has sucked something sour.

"This is necessary you know, since... you know," the young Japanese girl says.

Lelouch asks if it is necessary _every_ time, Kaguya answers him in the negative. "Just once."

She then proceeds to lift Nunnally's bowl, and pick up the chopsticks as well, blowing on the presented bite, "Here, Nunnally" Nunnally reacts accordingly, hesitantly opening her mouth.

It is much to not only Lelouch's but Suzaku's horror as well.

Nunnally chews thoughtfully, politely speaking- "Delicious!"

Kaguya smiles broadly, "_Omedeto_!"


End file.
